Surfing Western Australia

15th Annual Whalebone Classic - Cottesloe WA

Sunday, 15 July 2012

Taylor Jensen (CA/USA) and Georgia Young (WA/AUS) both claimed victory at the ASP 3-Star "Be Kind, Be Calm, Keep Smiling" Whalebone Classic for the second year in a row. The Whalebone Classic, the third and final stop on this year's ASP Australasian Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS), wrapped up today at Cottesloe Beach WA in 2 foot (1 meter) surf.

Reigning ASP World Longboard Champion Jensen made history today after not only winning the Whalebone Classic for the second year in a row, but also making a clean sweep of the 2012 ASP Australasian LQS, winning all three events. It was Jensen's powerful carves and traditional style that saw him finish the 2012 series undefeated.

"The conditions were tough out there today," Jensen said. "With the wind and tide anyone could have taken the win in that Final. I just got lucky I had those two waves at the start of the heat, but I will take the win. It feels great to win here again, I love this event."

Harley Ingleby (AUS), 2009 ASP World Longboard Champion recovered from a slow start to the Final to claim 2nd position ahead of Nic Jones (AUS) and Nick Farago (AUS) who finished 3rd and 4th respectively.

The women's Final was a back and forth battle between the defending champion Young and the Hawaiian Miku Uemura (HAW). Young opened her account with a 6.50 (out of a possible 10) before Uemura replied with an impressive 7.50. Young then backed up with a 5.75 leaving Uemura needing only a 4.75 wave to take the win. The conditions deteriorated and the wave never eventuated for Uemura, giving Young back-to-back Whalebone Classic titles.

"I can't believe I won this event two years in a row," Young said. "With all the international competitors in the event this year this has to be the hardest women's field I have encountered at the Whalebone."
New Zealand's Wini Paul (NZL) and Kirsty Webster (AUS) finished 3rd and 4th after advancing to the Final with some impressive surfing throughout the event.

A minutes silence was held for 24 year old shark attack victim Ben Linden who was killed surfing at Wedge Island yesterday.

The "Be Kind, Be Calm, Keep Smiling" Whalebone Classic is one of the premier events among the Australian professional longboard community. Staged annually at Iso's Reef at Cottesloe nearly 200 longboard surfers and their supporters are expected to converge for another gathering of the tribes on July 14th & 15th July2012. Now into its fifteenth year, the Whalebone has always attracted some of the Australia's best longboarders.